If our history can challenge the next wave of musicians to keep moving and changing, to keep spiritually hungry and horny, that's what it's all about.
Carlos SantanaRead
I have been accused of being a very simplistic, very lyrical player, and that's okay. That just comes from the blues, which is my background. But every day you wake up and transcend. You can't ever rest on your laurels.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Embrace simplicity in your art while continually striving to improve.
In this quote, Carlos Santana acknowledges that his music, influenced by the blues, is often viewed as simplistic. However, he emphasizes the importance of transcending one's current abilities and never becoming complacent, suggesting that continuous growth and evolution are essential in both music and life.
Themes
MusicGrowthBluesSimplicityTranscendence
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech, a speaker might use this quote to inspire artists to keep evolving their craft.
More from Carlos Santana
All quotes →My dad's a beautiful man, but like a lot of Mexican men, or men in general, a lot of men have a problem with the balance of masculinity and femininity - intuition and compassion and tenderness - and get overboard with the macho thing. It took him a while to become more, I would say, conscious, evolved.
Carlos SantanaRead
I grew up in the sixties watching B.B. King and Tito Puente and Miles Davis and Coltrane, everybody, Marvin Gaye, Jimi. And at the same time, with my left eye I was watching Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa.
Carlos SantanaRead
First of all, the music that people call Latin or Spanish is really African. So Black people need to get the credit for that.
Carlos SantanaRead
You can take things that Jimi Hendrix took, from Curtis Mayfield or from Buddy Guy for example, because we are all children of everything, even Picasso. But if you want to stand out, you have to learn to crystallize your existence and create your own fingerprints.
Carlos SantanaRead
Ever since I was a child I've always been very attracted to melodies. Whether I hear Jeff Beck, a choir, an ocean or the wind, there's always a melody in there.
Carlos SantanaRead
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